Reciprocating razor



Dec. 2, 1969 H. c. ANDERSON RECIPROCATING RAZOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 8. 1967 ATTORNEY 2, 19:39 I H. c. ANDERSON 3,481,035

RECIPROGATING RAZOR Filed Nov. 8. I967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 012345618910 I l 1 e a I q INV ENT OR J l/ara/a if line/awn QYBY ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,481,035 Patented Dec. 2, 1969 3,481,035 RECIPROCATING RAZOR Harold C. Anderson, 7909 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, Fla. 33931 Filed Nov. 8, 1967, Ser.'No. 681,341 Int. Cl. B26b 19/30 U.S. Cl. 30-46 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A handle-supported frame carrying a rotatable face engaging roller. A pair of arms are mounted on the frame for oscillating movement and support a razor head having a cutting edge adjacent the roller. Projecting pins on end portions of the roller are engageable with the arms to convert rotation of the roller into oscillation of the arms and resultant reciprocation of the razor head relative to the frame.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in razors, particularly safety type razors having a handle connected to a head which contains a blade for cutting a beard or hair as the razor head is drawn over the skin. In conventional razors of this general type the head is rigidly connected to the handle and the blade performs a shearing action in one particular direction in which the razor is drawn.

The principal object of the invention is to substantially improve the efficiency and greatly expedite the performance of the cutting operation, while enabling it to be performed with smoothness and comfort not possible with razors of the conventional type.

This object is attained by providing a razor wherein the head is movably connected to a handle-supported frame by a pair of swingable arms, the frame being equipped with a rotatable roller disposed adjacent the cutting edge of the blade in the head, and projecting pins being provided on end portions of the roller for operative engagement with the head supporting arms. As the razor is drawn over the skin, the roller is rotated by contact with the skin and rotation of the roller is converted by the pins into an oscillating movement of the arms, with the result that the razor head is reciprocated relative to the frame and the blade attains a compound shearing movement in the direction in which the razor is drawn as well as transversely thereof.

An important feature of the invention therefore resides in the particular razor structure as above outlined including the reciprocable head mounting, and especially in the specific pin and arm arrangement whereby rotation of the roller is converted into reciprocation of the head.

The razor of the invention is simple in construction, efiicient in operation, and lends itself to convenient and economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important object and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view showing the reciprocating razor of the invention with the handle broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary underside plan view; and

FIGURES 4 and 5 are diagrammatic illustrations showing the geometry and operation of the motion converting components.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, particularly to FIGS. 1-3, inclusive, the reciprocating razor of the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The same comprises a suitable handle 11, to the upper end of which is secured a frame 12, as for example by a screw-threaded stud 13 and nut 14, although any other form of securing means may be provided.

Conveniently, the frame 12 may be made by molding or as a sheet metal stamping appropriately angulated to provide an elongated U-shaped yoke 15 including a central web portion 15a and a pair of side members 15b. The web portion 15a is formed integrally with an L- shaped extension to which the handle 11 is attached, as already explained.

A face engaging roller 16 is rotatably mounted in the yoke 15 of the frame 12, the roller extending between the side members 15b of the yoke and having projecting stub axles 17 at its ends, which stub axles are rotatably journalled in the side members 15b, as will be readily understood. Preferably, the roller has a grooved, toothed or knurled periphery, so that it is effectively rotated by contact with the skin when the razor is in use.

The side members 15b of the yoke are provided at the outer sides thereof with pairs of apertured lugs 18, in which are fulcrurnmed intermediate portions 19a of a pair of angulated arms 19 formed from wire rod. These angulated arms have end portions 19b which are pivotally attached to the base plate 20 of a more-or-less conventional razor head 21, the latter also including a clamping plate 22 and a razor blade 23 which is clamped between the plates 20, 22, as by a screw-threaded stud 24 and nut 25. One cutting edge 23a of the blade 23 is disposed adjacent to and in parallel with the roller 16, as shown. In order to reinforce the mounting of the razor head, bearing bracket-s 24 are secured to the underside of the plate 20 and the arm end portions 19b pass rotatably through apertures in these brackets, in addition to being pivotally connected to the plate 20 as aforesaid.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the entire head 21 is movably connected to the frame 12 by the two arms 19 and that these arms are capable of oscillating movement about the axis of their intermediate portions 19a which are journalled in the lugs 18, such oscillating movement of the arms automatically resulting in reciprocation of the head relative to the frame. An upstanding guide member 26, in the form of a pin, or the like, is rigidly secured centrally to the web 15a of the yoke 15 and projects into an arcuate slot 26' formed in the base plate 20 of the head 21 as is best shown in FIG. 3, for limiting the extent of reciprocation of the head. The radius of curvature of the slot 26' corresponds to the distance thereof from the fulcrum axis of the arm portions 19a in a direction at right angles to the roller 16. The fulcrum axis of the arm portions 19a itself is laterally olfset to one side of the roller axles 17, as will be apparent from FIG. 2 and also from FIG. 5 hereinafter described.

The roller 16 has end portions 16a of .a reduced diameter, and each of these is provided with a set of three, radially outwardly projecting pins 27. The arms 19, in addition to the intermediate portions 19a and end portions 19b which are parallel to the intermediate portions, also have end portions which project laterally from the intermediate portions into the path of rotation of the pins 27. The three pins 27 on each end portion of the roller are circumferentially spaced apart by 120, and the pins on one end of the roller are circumferentially staggered by an angle of 60 from those at the opposite end of the roller, so that at any given time,

only one of the arms 19 is operatively engaged by a single pin. A further explanation in this connection Will be given with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, and in the meantime the operation of the razor will be described.

FIGS. 1-3 show the head 21 at the center of its reciprocating movement, with the end portion 190 of the arm 19 at the right of FIGS. 1 and 3 engaging one of the pins 27 in the adjacent set of pins. As the razor is drawn over the users face, in the general direction indicated by the arrow 28 in FIG. 2, the roller 16 will be rotated by its contact with the skin in the direction of the arrow 29. The pin 27 engaging the end portion 190 of the arm 19 at the right of FIGS. 1 and 3 will cause that arm to swing in the direction of the arrow 30, thus moving the head 21 to the left as at 31. When the head reaches the extreme left position, the pin 27 will become disengaged from the right-hand arm 19, at which time a pin at the opposite end of the roller will come into engagement with the adjacent left-hand arm. Since the two arms are reversely oriented or of opposite hands, so to speak, the left-hand arm will then move the head 21 to the right, that is, in a direction opposite to the arrow 31, until the end of the head movement in that direction is reached. The pin drive to the left-hand arm will then be disengaged, and the right-hand arm will then be engaged by the next pin on that side to again produce movement of the head to the left. In this manner, rotation of the roller 16 will be converted by the pins into oscillation of the arms and resultant reciprocation of the head, so that the cutting edge 23a of the blade 23 may have a compound shearing action in the direction in which the razor is drawn as well as transversely thereof.

In order that the conversion of rotary into reciprocating motion may take place smoothly and effectively, the geometrical relationship and relative sizes of the motion converting parts are very important. From this standpoint diagrammatic illustrations are presented in FIGS. 4 and in proportion to a dimensional scale.

For illustrative purposes three figures show only one of the pins 27 cooperating with one of the arms 19. As already stated, the pins in each set (at each end of the roller) are spaced apart by an angle of 120 and the two sets of pins are staggered by 60. Thus, there is an angle of 60 between a pin at one end and the next pin at the other end of the roller, and for smooth, effective operation it is essential that pin-and-arm contact at one end of the roller is disengaged before such contact is made at the other end. By the same token, it is desirable that disengagement of contact at one end not be premature, that is, prior to engagement of contact at the other end, since this would produce a dwell at each end of the reciprocating movement of the head. Accordingly, under optimum conditions pin-and-arm contact at one end of the roller is disengaged almost simultaneously with en gagement of such contact at the other end, which requires the duration of contact between each arm and pin to extend exactly over 58 of rotation of the roller.

This is attained by the geometric arrangement shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, wherein FIG. 4 illustrates on of the pins 27 by full lines coming into contact with the arm portion 19c also shown by full lines at the right-hand side of the figure, while the same parts are shown by the dotted lines 27 and 190 at the left-hand side of the figure, where disengagement of the pin from the arm takes place at a point 58 from the point of engagement, the 58 span being equally divided into two 29 angles at opposite sides of the plane P in which the axis of rotation of the roller is disposed. The path of swinging movement of the arm portion 190 has a width corresponding to the thickness of that arm portion as indicated at 33, and in considering where the arm path 33 intersects the path of rotary movement of the pin 27 as indicated at 34 in FIG. 5, consideration must be given to the fact that both the arm portion 190 and the pin 27 are cylindrical bodies which move in two planes at right angles to each other. Thus, dimensional proportions as well as geometric relationship of the parts must be such as to afford the optimum conditions mentioned above, and it will be apparent that although at the point of disengagement shown in the left-hand side of FIG. 4 the pin 27 still appears to engage the arm portion 19c, when that point is reached, the path of the arm portion clears the path of the pin as shown in FIG. 5, so that disengagement of the parts occurs. Preferably, a small portion at the trailing side of the pin 27 is relieved as indicated at 27a, so as to facilitate immediate back swing of the arm portion after disengagement thereof from the pin.

It is desirable to offset the fulcrum axis of the intermediate arm portion 19a to one side of the plane P, that is, to one side from the axis of rotation of the roller, as indicated at 35 in FIG. 5. This permits pin-and-arm engagement and disengagement to take place at the points indicated, with the required span of roller rotation producing oscillation of the arm 19 in a 58 span, divided equally into two 29 angles at opposite sides of the fulcrum axis 19a of the arm. The resultant reciprocating movement of the head is shown at 36.

This offset of the fulcrum axis 19a from the axis of rotation of the roller is a highly important feature, without which the arrangement would not function effectively. If the fulcrum axis were on the axis of roller rotation, divided 30 short of center and 30 beyond center, any small penetration would cause the arm to travel beyond the 60 limit and it would be extremely difiicult to obtain any substantial movement. The aforementioned offset facilitates substantial engagement and full span for disengagement of the arm with the roller pin.

Another import point which may be mentioned as in regard to movement of the arm 19 as shown in FIG. 5. When the razor is moved across the face, normally to the left, the arm shown at 29 will have a tendency to move toward the furthest point, that is, toward the center line, this pull being greatest when the arm is furthest at the 29 angle. This inherent feature has the effect of preventing a collision of the arm portion 190 with the roller pin 27 at the extremities, and instead causes the parts to move cooperatively immediately after disengagement.

While in the foregoing there has been described and shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure, and various modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A reciprocating razor, comprising in combination a handle-supported frame, a face engaging roller rotatably mounted in said frame, a pair of angulated arms mounted in the frame adjacent the respective ends of said roller and swingable in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation of the roller, a razor head pivotally connected to and supported by said arms, said razor head having a cutting edge adjacent and parallel to said roller, and radially projecting pins provided on end portions of the roller, said pins being Operatively engageable with said arms whereby to convert rotary motion of the roller into oscillation of the arms to effect reciprocation of said head relative to said frame.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with a fixed guide member secured to said frame, said razor head being formed with a slot movably receiving said guide member therein.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said angulate d arms includes an intermediate portion journalled in said frame, a first end portion parallel to but laterally offset from said intermediate portion, said first end portion being pivotably connected to said razor head, and a second end portion projecting laterally from the intermediate portion into the path of rotation of aid pins on said roller.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame comprises a U-shaped yoke including a central Web and a pair of side members, said roller extending between and being rotatably journalled in said side members, and a handle carrying extension provided on the central Web of said yoke.

5. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame comprises a U-shaped yoke including a central web and a pair of side members, said roller extending between and being rotatably journalled in said side members, and a handle carrying extension provided on the central web of said yoke, each of said angulated arms including an intermediate portion, a first end portion parallel to but laterally offset from said intermediate portion, and a second end potrion projecting laterally from the intermediate portion, the intermediate portions of said arms being fulcrummed on the respective side members of said yoke, the first end portions of the arms being pivotally connected to said razor head, and the second end portions of the arms projecting into the path of rotation of said pins on said roller.

6. The device as defined in claim 5 together with a fixed guide member secured to the central web of said yoke, said razor head being formed with an arcuate slot movably receiving said guide member therein.

7. The device as defined in claim 5 wherein three of said radially projecting pins are provided at each end of said roller and are spaced apart circumferentially by an angle of 120, the pins at one end of the roller being circumferentially staggered by an angle of 60 from those at the other end of the roller, said second end portions of the respective arms being operatively engaged alternately by the pins at the respective opposite ends of the roller with each pin and arm engagement extending through 58 of roller rotation.

8. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein the fulcrum axes of the intermediate portions of said arms are offset laterally to one side of the axis of rotation of said roller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,158,914 11/1915 Gaisman 46 1,361,266 12/1920 Chance 30-46 ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner G. F. GRAFEL, Assistant Examiner 

